An Autumn Leaf Dances with the Wind
by warriorseadra
Summary: Meant to be a revolutionary virtual reality role playing game, Sword Art Online became a death game on its official launch. As one of its denizens, Gale too struggles to break free. Yet, prison becomes paradise if the conditions are met.


The Autumn Leaf Dances with the Wind

By Warrior Seadra

* * *

Gale clicks his tongue upon finding the girl surrounded by orcs. She dodges axes and clubs in her attempts to break past the five monsters. Outside her reach, beyond the orcs, her dagger glints, impaled into the ground.

A club strikes the girl's back and Gale dashes forward. He fires an arrow into the eye of an orc who's readying its axe above the girl. The orc cries in pain as it clutches its face.

The remaining four orcs roar, turning to Gale. Narrowing his eyes, Gale leaps at the incoming assailants while releasing three arrows. Two of the arrows pierce into the lead orc's shoulders.

As Gale spring boards off the crippled orc's face, he flips through the air while notching three arrows. Landing before the girl, Gale fires his arrows into the back of three open necks.

"Can you stand?" Gale asks as he notches a pair of arrows.

"N-No," the girl forces the words as an orc growls in pain. "par...alysed."

Gale clicks his tongue as he lunges diagonally. Thrusting his bow to the side, Gale deflects an axe and releases an arrow. The orc staggers, pixelizing as it brings a hand to its neck.

Gale dives into the orc. They drop to the ground and Gale rolls over the orc as it finishes shattering into pixels. Gale rises to his knees and projects three arrows at the two closest orcs. As they pixelize, Gale charges and rams his shoulder into the half blind orc. The orc bends over and Gale jams a throwing knife into the orc's remaining eye.

The orc staggers back and Gale plucks the arrow from its other eye. He turns as he steps forward, elbowing the orc as he prepares the arrow. Feeling the orc behind him shatter, Gale releases the arrow and pixelizes the remaining orc.

Gale looks to the girl who's slowly rising onto her feet. He tosses her a potion while scolding, "Idiot, I warned you. Why didn't you join a party?"

"What's it to you?" The girl snaps back, throwing the empty bottle at Gale. "Are you stalking me?"

Gale flicks the bottle away. He ignores the accusation and irritably shouts, "This is a death game! Reckless solo quests will get you killed."

"Me?" The girl accusingly points at Gale shouting, "Archers don't rush mobs!"

"It's how I fight! Besides, I'm at least 10 levels higher than you!"

"I can take care of myself!" She shouts back, her face turning red. "Hell, why do you even care?"

"I refuse to have another person's blood on my hands!" Gale cries out, glaring at the girl.

The girl gasps and turns away. With her sight cast onto the ground, she retrieves her dagger.

Gale purses his lips, regretting his words. With a sigh, his expression towards the young girl softens, "Listen, the monsters on this floor are programmed to attack in mobs. Soloing at your level and skill is suicide. If you die in this world, you're not waking up."

"I couldn't find anyone..." The girl mumbles as she picks up her dagger. She finds Gale staring and shouts, "No one wants to do this quest, ok!"

Gale gives the girl a deadpan look as he raises an eyebrow. "Really, not one guy?"

"No, not a chance," the girl shakes her head violently while making an X with her arms. "people like them always hold the quest reward ransom. They say, 'If you want it, strip.'

"Just because eighty per cent of the players in Aincrad are guys, we're treated as their play things!" The girl stomps her foot. As she continues to rant, the system's emotion expression feature activates and flushes her face scarlet as she says, "I absolutely refuse to party with those pigs. They can all just jump out this tower and fall to the planet!"

Gale holds up his palms saying, "Ok, ok, point taken." Cracking his neck, he turns to leave.

"Wait, wait, wait!" The girl shouts, taking a few steps after him. "You can't just leave."

"What?" Gale looks over his shoulder, frowning in annoyance.

"You said, 'ten levels higher.' You're a clearer!" The girl declares. Gale nods and she continues speaking, her pace increasing from excitement "If someone trying to clear Aincrad comes with me, there'll be nothing to worry about, right? My name's Roja."

Defeated, Gale covers his eyes with a palm. He reluctantly looks to the smiling girl and says, "I'm Gale."

* * *

A/N: I had to write a story for class introducing a character with a medical condition. This is what I came up with. Can anyone guess what the condition is? I get a feeling this will be a fun story to write.


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